Half-staff flag was show of respect for Mandela

Editor:

Charles Thompson doesn’t have his facts straight concerning Nelson Mandela or Benghazi (Letters, Journal, Dec. 13). Nelson Mandela was a democratic socialist dedicated to an electoral process. He was also a capitalist and a Methodist — not very godless-Commie-like. To be fair to Thompson, Mandela was part of the Communist party up until 1962. What were you up to then? Anything change since? Did you fight apartheid under constant threat of death? Get jailed for 27 years for working toward racial reconciliation? Mandela tackled problems of institutionalized racism, poverty, and inequality. Nelson Mandela was a great man. Also FYI: President Obama ordered American flags flying above government buildings, military vessels and posts around the world be flown at half-staff until sunset on Sept. 16, 2012, “as a mark of respect” for the victims of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. President Johnson in 1965 issued an order to lower flags to half-staff following the death of British prime minister Winston Churchill. George W. Bush lowered flags following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. God bless America.